Gas handling system for metallurgical vessels

ABSTRACT

A gas conduit means is supported for bidirectional movements in the vicinity of two metallurgical vessels whose smoke and evolved gases are collected during operation. The conduit means normally couples one active vessel with gas cleaning apparatus. When the one vessel is taken out of service for rebuilding or maintenance, the conduit is transferred so that it couples the other vessel with the same gas cleaning apparatus. The arrangement reduces the probability of noxious gases from the active vessel reaching the vicinity of the inactive vessel at which workmen may be present.

United States Patent 11 1 Dortenzo et al.

[ GAS HANDLING SYSTEM FOR METALLURGICAL VESSELS' [75] Inventors: Alexander '1. Dortenzo, Pittsburgh;

Stanley T. Sczerba, McKeesport, both of Pa.

[73] Assignee: Pennsylvania Engineering Corporation, Pittsburgh, Pa.

221 Filed: Oct. 12, 1971 21 Appl. No.: 188,173

[52] US. Cl. 137/255, 266/15 [51] Int. Cl. C21: 5/40 [58] Field of Search 137/615, 255, 259;

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS ScheeLi 266/15 Hurst et a1. 266/15 X 3,558,116 1/1971 Yagi et al. 266/15 Primary Examiner-Henry T. Klinksiek Assistant Examiner-Robert J. Miller Attorney-Ralph G. l-lohenfeldt and Fred Wiviott [57] ABSTRACT A gas conduit means is supported for bidirectional movements in the vicinity of two metallurgical vessels whose smoke and evolved gases are collected during operation. The conduit means normally couples one active vessel with gas cleaning apparatus. When the one vessel is taken out of service for rebuilding or maintenance, the conduit is transferred so that it couples the other vessel with the same gas cleaning apparatus. The arrangement reduces the probability of noxious gases from the active vessel reaching the vicinity of the inactive vessel at which workmen may be presem.

11 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures PATENIEUJUL 3 1 1815 3749.1 16

SHEET 2 BF 3 FIGZ' INVENTORS g ALEXANDER T. DORTENZO STANLEY T. SCZERBA 'fl L-mtg %M7 ATTORNEYS PMENHLU I 3,749.1 1.6

SHEEI 3 BF 3 lNVENTOFES ALEXANDER T. DORTENZO BYSTANLEY T. SCZERBA GAS HANDLING SYSTEM FOR METALLURGICAL VESSELS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention is concerned with handling noxious smoke and gases that evolve from metallurgical vessels such as those which are used to convert hot metal to steel by the basic oxygen process.

Top and bottom blown steel converter vessels are usually installed in pairs so that one will be available for supplying molten steel to a plant while the other is inactivated for rebuilding its refractory lining or for performing other maintenance. The vessels are usually installed as closely as possible to each other and in proximity with gas cleaning apparatus. One practice followed heretofore has been to have a main exhaust pipe connected with the gas cleaning apparatus and to have branch pipes extending from the main pipe to the smoke and gas collecting hoods of the individual vessels. When one vessel was taken out of service for maintenance, a valve in its branch exhaust pipe was closed to inhibit noxious gases from the remaining active vessel feeding back through the branch pipe to the vicinity of the inactive vessel. This arrangement imperils those who may be called upon to work in the inactive vessel or its vicinity since there is always a danger of noxious gases leaking along the branch pipe associated with the active vessel and there might even be a heavy flow of noxious gases if the shutoff valve is accidentally or inadvertently opened. As is known, carbon monoxide which is present in high concentration in flue gases is an insidious, odorless, poison gas that could asphyxiate a workman or even be fatal in a short time. Other gases such as sulfur dioxide are also present sometimes and these gases are irritating to the eyes and respiratory system.

Of course, the above-mentioned problems can be avoided by completely isolating the exhaust pipes of the various vessels and connecting the individual exhaust pipes to individual gas cleaning apparatus in which case one gas cleaning system will be idle along with the vessel which is inactivated for maintenance. However, use of individual gas cleaning systems requires at least double the investment in the systems themselves and requires additional investment in building space to accommodate them.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A general object of the present invention is to overcome the above-noted disadvantages and to provide a safe and economical gas handling system for metallurgical vessels.

Another object of this invention is to completely isolate the gas exhaust path associated with one vessel from that of another and yet employ only one gas cleaning apparatus.

A more specific object of this invention is to provide a conduit means which has an inlet coupled to the gas collector hood of an active vessel and has an outlet coupled to gas cleaning apparatus and to support the conduit means for bidirectional translation so that the conduit outlet becomes an inlet which is then coupled to an alternate vessel and its inlet becomes an outlet which is then coupled to the gas cleaning apparatus.

An embodiment of the invention is characterized by having two vessels which emit gas and fumes spaced apart from each other on opposite sides of gas cleaning apparatus. The cleaning apparatus has an inlet which connects with the outlet of the gas conduit and the conduit has an inlet which connects with the outlet of a gas collecting hood that is associated with a vessel. The conduit is supported for being shifted so that it will convey gases from the other vessel to the gas cleaning apparatus, or other gas receiver. The conduit preferably has rollers which run on tracks so that it may be translated from alignment with the gas cleaning apparatus and one vessel to alignment with the same gas cleaning apparatus and another vessel.

How the foregoing and other more specific objects are achieved will appear in the more detailed description of a preferred embodiment which will be set forth hereinafter in reference to the drawings.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a front elevation view of a gas handling system, in accordance with the invention, using one gas cleaning system to serve two spaced apart metallurgical vessels;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary plan view of the preceding arrangement with some parts omitted and others added; and

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view looking toward the vertical plane corresponding with 33 in FIG. 1.

DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT In the drawings, the new gas handling equipment is illustrated in conjunction with spaced apart metallurgical vessels It) and 111 which may be basic oxygen converter vessels of the bottom-blown type, for instance, or they may be any other kind of metallurgical vessels that are installed in proximity with each other and emit smoke and other noxious gases. In this illustration, vessels l0 and 11 are of the same type so only vessel 11 will be described in detail. Vessel 11 is mounted in a trunnion ring 12 from which trunnion shafts 113 and M extend laterally along a common axis. Shafts l3 and 14 are journaled in bearing supports 15 and 16, respectively. The bearing supports are on concrete footings l7 and 18 so as to define a pit 19 below vessel 11. Trunnion ring 12 is adapted to turn on its axis to tilt or completely invert vessel 1111. The vessels are surrounded by metal splash shields 22 and 23. Rails 24 are situated on the sides of pit 119 to accommodate a slag pot car, not shown. The vessel tilting drive includes a reduction gear system in a housing 20 and a tilting drive motor 21 affiliated therewith.

When vessel 11 is used as a bottom-blown converter vessel, its bottom portion is equipped with a chamber 25 into which gases such as argon, nitrogen and oxygen and powdered material such as fluxes and iron oxide may be admitted from a pipe 26 which is shown fragmentarily. In an actual installation, pipe 26 connects with trunnion shaft 13 which is hollow and is connected by means of a swivel joint, not shown, to supply lines for the gases and powdered materials. When vessel 11] is charged with hot metal and scrap, the gas and powdered materials are selectively blown into the bottom of vessel 11 so that they pass through the molten metal therein and effectuate conversion of impure iron to steel. In connection with the conversion process, smoke, carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide and other fumes evolve from the top mouth region 27 of the vessels as is well known. It is the collection and safe handling of these evolved gases and smoke with which the invention is concerned.

Above the mouth 27 of vessel 11 there is a gas collecting hood which is generally designated by the numeral 28. The gas hood has a hollow cylinder 29 which joins with the mouth 27 of vessel 11 so that there is practically no leakage of air into the hood 28, which leakage would allow the gases to burn, nor is there substantial leakage of noxious gases from the vessel to the atmosphere. The upper part of hood 28 includes a pipe 30 which terminates in a flange 31, constituting a gas outlet. When vessel 11 is operating, flange 31 may be clamped by means, not shown, with a flange 32 that is part of the new translatable gas directing conduit means which is generally designated by the numeral 33 and which will be discussed in greater detail shortly hereinafter.

Hood 28 is mounted on a carriage 34 which has spaced apart pairs of wheels such as 35 and 36 that are adapted to roll on stationary horizontal tracks 37 and 38. Thus, carriage 28 may be shifted on tracks 37, 38 for transferring hood 28 away from the mouth 27 of vessel 1]. This permits tilting vessel 11 without interference and enables the vessel to be charged through its mouth 27. In FIG. 1 the gas collecting hood at the left associated with vessel 10 is marked with the numeral 28 and is shown shifted away from the vessel 10 as just described Part of the charging floor 40 between vessels l and 11 appears in FIGS. 1 and 3. The latter figure shows the scrap charging truck 42 which runs on tracks such as 43 in parallel with the axis of trunnion shafts l3 and 14. The scrap cart has a body 44 which is pivotable at 45 for discharging scrap from a spout 46 into the mouth 27 of either vessel or 11 when the vessels are tilted.

Located somewhat behind vessels It) and 11 but between them is a gas receiver which in this example is a gas cleaning apparatus that is generally designated by the numeral 50. The gas cleaning apparatus has an inlet pipe 51 which has an inlet flange 52 that couples with a flange 53 on gas handling conduit means 33. Flanges 52 and 53, of course, have central openings for placing the interior of conduit means 33 in communication with the inlet pipe 51 of the gas cleaning apparatus 50. Means for clamping flanges 52 and 53 together to effectuate a leak proof seal between them are omitted since they may be variously devised by a skilled mechanical designer. Thus, when vessel 11 is operating its evolved gases are conducted through conduit means 33 to the gas cleaning apparatus 50.

The gas cleaning apparatus 50 may be the well known Baumco type. It is a variable venturi wet gas cleaner type including a venturi quencher 54. Water from the quencher flows down a pipe 55 along with the gas that is being cleaned and the water is drained at an outlet 56. The gas mixture is conveyed by means of a horizontal pipe 57 into a vertical pipe 58 which has a short horizontal run 59 connecting into a scrubber 60. Gases are drawn from scrubber 60 through a pipe 61 which feeds to the inlet of a blower 62. The blower is driven by a motor 63 and has an exhaust outlet 64 which may connect to a chimney, not shown, but preferably connects with a system for discharging the clean flue gas to the atmosphere when its carbon monoxide concentration is low and, alternatively, to a gas storage reservoir so that when the carbon monoxide concentration is high, the gas may be saved and used as a fuel for any desired heating purpose.

The hoods 28 and 28 associated with furnaces 11 and 10, respectively, are usually water-cooled but the cooling means are not shown in detail nor will they be discussed because they are known in the art.

Only the exterior of conduit means 33 is depicted in the drawing. It will be understood, however, that the conduit means 33 may include a cooling water circulating system for lowering flue gas temperature before the gas is delivered to cleaning apparatus 50. Conduit means 33 may also be refractory lined so that it will resist deterioration that would otherwise result from conducting flue gases which may be as hot as l,700 C. at the mouth of the vessel.

The exterior of gas directing conduit means 33 may comprise a horizontally extending metal shell 65 having elbows 66 and 67 at opposite ends which elbows are terminated with flanges 53 and 32, respectively. Fastened to the sides of the horizontally extending shell 65 of conduit means 33 are a plurality of roller support brackets such as those which are marked 68-72 on one side and 7377 on the other side. These longitudinally distributed rows of brackets are secured to shell 65 and each bracket has a wheel at its lower end, such as wheel 78 associated with bracket 72 and wheel 79 associated with bracket 73. The wheels are adapted to run on parallel tracks 80 and 81. This construction enables conduit means 33 to be transferred from the solid line position in which it is shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, where it is coupling vessel 11 to gas cleaning apparatus 50, to the position in which it is shown in phantom in these figures where it may couple vessel 10 to the gas cleaning apparatus 50. In the latter case, of course, gas collecting hood 28' would be shifted in place over vessel 10 similarly to the manner in which hood 28 is shown relative to vessel 11. When conduit means 33 is shifted to its phantom line position, all that remains to be done is to clamp flanges 32 and 53 to make a leak proof connection with the vessel and to clamp flange 32 of conduit means 33 with inlet flange 52 of gas cleaning apparatus 50. Upon this event, any gases emitted from vessel 10 are conducted directly through conduit means 33 to gas cleaning apparatus 50 and there is little opportunity for concentrated noxious gas from vessel 10 to reach the vicinity of vessel 1 1. It is then safe for workmen to work on the inside of vessel 11 or to work anywhere in the vicinity of vessel 1 1 including the pit l9 underneath it where noxious gases might settle. As illustrated by the drawings, inactive vessel 10 and the region around it are precluded from receiving any significant concentration of gases from active vessel ll because conduit means 33 provides a solid coupling between vessel 11 and the gas cleaning apparatus 50.

Although a preferred embodiment of the invention has been described in detail, such description is intended to be illustrative rather than limiting, for the invention may be variously embodied and is to be limited only by interpretation of the claims which follow.

We claim:

1. For use with metallurgical vessels from which gas is delivered to a receiver, selective gas flow directing means comprising:

conduit means having gas inlet means adapted to couple with a first vessel and gas outlet means adapted to couple with a gas receiver,

means supporting said conduit means for being translated between alternate positions, the inlet means of said conduit means serving as an outlet means when said conduit means is in one position and serving as an outlet means when said conduit is in another position, and the outlet means of said conduit means serving as an outlet means when said conduit means is in one position and serving as an inlet means when in another position, so that at least one of the inlet or outlet means of the conduit is in a position for being coupled with a second vessel while the other of its inlet or outlet means is in a position to be coupled with the receiver.

2. The invention set forth in claim ll including:

a. track means located in the vicinity of at least two vessels, and

b. roller means supporting said conduit means on said track means, whereby to facilitate positioning said conduit means for coupling its inlet means with one vessel or another and for coupling its outlet with a gas receiver means.

3. The invention set forth in claim 2 wherein:

a. said track means are disposed in a substantially horizontal plane, and

b. there are a plurality of roller means disposed longitudinally of said conduit means and forming two parallel rows on opposite sides of said conduit means, said rows of roller means cooperating with said track means.

4. The invention set forth in claim 2 wherein:

a. said conduit means has a substantially horizontal longitudinally extending portion and elbow means at each end thereof and each having a vertically extending portion, said vertically extending portions terminating in means that are adapted to serve alternately as gas inlet or outlet means.

5. Means for directing gas from alternate metallurgical vessels each having gas outlet means to a single gas receiver having an inlet which is located substantially equidistantly from said gas outlet means, said directing means comprising:

a. conduit means having openings which are spaced apart from each other by a distance substantially equal to the distance between each vessel gas outlet means and the gas receiver inlet, and

b. means supporting said conduit means for translation so as to permit selectively placing one opening in communication with the gas outlet of one vessel simultaneously with the other opening being in communication with the inlet of the gas receiver.

6. The invention set forth in claim 5 including:

a. track means disposed in a substantially horizontal plane in parallelism with said conduit means and in the space between the vessels, and

b. roller means associated with said conduit means and cooperating with said track means for enabling translation of said conduit means between vessel and a gas receiver.

7. The combination of, at least a pair of metallurgical vessels each having a gas outlet,

stationary support means for each of said vessels,

a gas cleaning system spaced from said vessels and having a gas inlet,

conduit means having first and second ends, means supporting said conduit means for movement between a first position wherein one of the ends of said conduit means is disposed adjacent the gas outlet of one of said vessels and the other end of said gas conduit means disposed adjacent the inlet of said gas cleaning system, said support means being operative to support said conduit means for movement to a second position wherein one of the ends of said conduit means is disposed adjacent the gas outlet of the other of said metallurgical vessels and another end of said conduit means is disposed to be coupled to the inlet of said gas cleaning system, whereby said conduit means is opeative to alternately couple one of said metallurgical vessels to said gas cleaning system and wherein the other metallurgical vessel is disconnected from said gas cleaning system and the gas outlet thereof is spaced from the ends of said conduit means.

8. The combination set forth in claim 7 wherein said gas inlet is disposed substantially equidistantly from each of said gas outlets, said conduit means being substantially equal to said distance.

9. The combination set forth in claim 7 wherein a first end of said conduit means is disposed adjacent the outlet of said first metallurgical vessel and the other end of said conduit means is disposed adjacent the inlet of said gas cleaning system when said conduit means is in its first position and said one end is disposed adjacent the inlet of said gas cleaning system and the other end is disposed adjacent a gas outlet of said second metallurgical vessel when said conduit is in its second position.

10. The combination set forth in claim 9 wherein each of said metallurgical vessels has a charging opening adjacent its upper end, said gas outlet means comprising a gas collecting hood means movable substantially vertically into and out of engagement with said opening, the opposite ends of said conduit means being adapted to be connected to one of said hood means when said conduit means is in either of its first or second positions.

11. The combination set forth in claim wherein said conduit means has a substantially horizontally extending portion and elbow means disposed at the opposite ends thereof, each of said elbow means having a vertically extending portion which is adapted to be connected to one of said hood means or said gas cleaning system inlet. 

1. For use with metallurgical vessels from which gas is delivered to a receiver, selective gas flow directing means comprising: conduit means having gas inlet means adapted to couple with a first vessel and gas outlet means adapted to couple with a gas receiver, means supporting said conduit means for being translated between alternate positions, the inlet means of said conduit means serving as an outlet means when said conduit means is in one position and serving as an outlet means when said conduit is in another position, and the outlet means of said conduit means serving as an outlet means when said conduit means is in one position and serving as an inlet means when in another position, so that at least one of the inlet or outlet means of the conduit is in a position for being coupled with a second vessel while the other of its inlet or outlet means is in a position to be coupled with the receiver.
 2. The invention set forth in claim 1 including: a. track means located in the vicinity of at least two vessels, and b. roller means supporting said conduit means on said track means, whereby to facilitate positioning said conduit means for coupling its inlet means with one vessel or another and for coupling its outlet with a gas receiver means.
 3. The invention set forth in claim 2 wherein: a. said track means are disposed in a substantially horizontal plane, and b. there are a plurality of roller means disposed longitudinally of said conduit means and forming two parallel rows on opposite sides of said conduit means, said rows of roller means cooperating with said track means.
 4. The invention set forth in claim 2 wherein: a. saiD conduit means has a substantially horizontal longitudinally extending portion and elbow means at each end thereof and each having a vertically extending portion, said vertically extending portions terminating in means that are adapted to serve alternately as gas inlet or outlet means.
 5. Means for directing gas from alternate metallurgical vessels each having gas outlet means to a single gas receiver having an inlet which is located substantially equidistantly from said gas outlet means, said directing means comprising: a. conduit means having openings which are spaced apart from each other by a distance substantially equal to the distance between each vessel gas outlet means and the gas receiver inlet, and b. means supporting said conduit means for translation so as to permit selectively placing one opening in communication with the gas outlet of one vessel simultaneously with the other opening being in communication with the inlet of the gas receiver.
 6. The invention set forth in claim 5 including: a. track means disposed in a substantially horizontal plane in parallelism with said conduit means and in the space between the vessels, and b. roller means associated with said conduit means and cooperating with said track means for enabling translation of said conduit means between vessel and a gas receiver.
 7. The combination of, at least a pair of metallurgical vessels each having a gas outlet, stationary support means for each of said vessels, a gas cleaning system spaced from said vessels and having a gas inlet, conduit means having first and second ends, means supporting said conduit means for movement between a first position wherein one of the ends of said conduit means is disposed adjacent the gas outlet of one of said vessels and the other end of said gas conduit means disposed adjacent the inlet of said gas cleaning system, said support means being operative to support said conduit means for movement to a second position wherein one of the ends of said conduit means is disposed adjacent the gas outlet of the other of said metallurgical vessels and another end of said conduit means is disposed to be coupled to the inlet of said gas cleaning system, whereby said conduit means is opeative to alternately couple one of said metallurgical vessels to said gas cleaning system and wherein the other metallurgical vessel is disconnected from said gas cleaning system and the gas outlet thereof is spaced from the ends of said conduit means.
 8. The combination set forth in claim 7 wherein said gas inlet is disposed substantially equidistantly from each of said gas outlets, said conduit means being substantially equal to said distance.
 9. The combination set forth in claim 7 wherein a first end of said conduit means is disposed adjacent the outlet of said first metallurgical vessel and the other end of said conduit means is disposed adjacent the inlet of said gas cleaning system when said conduit means is in its first position and said one end is disposed adjacent the inlet of said gas cleaning system and the other end is disposed adjacent a gas outlet of said second metallurgical vessel when said conduit is in its second position.
 10. The combination set forth in claim 9 wherein each of said metallurgical vessels has a charging opening adjacent its upper end, said gas outlet means comprising a gas collecting hood means movable substantially vertically into and out of engagement with said opening, the opposite ends of said conduit means being adapted to be connected to one of said hood means when said conduit means is in either of its first or second positions.
 11. The combination set forth in claim 10 wherein said conduit means has a substantially horizontally extending portion and elbow means disposed at the opposite ends thereof, each of said elbow means having a vertically extending portion which is adapted to be connected to one of said hood means or said gas cleaning system inlet. 